Vacuum Cleaners

Dirt and debris in the home are inevitable. However, if you’re equipped with the right vacuum cleaner, that dirt doesn’t stand a fighting chance. From portable, cordless vacuum cleaners to high-powered upright and canister vacuums, there is a model available for every job, no matter how big or small. As you embark on the journey to find the best vacuum cleaner for your household, consider things such as flooring types, size of your home, and the cleaning tasks you most commonly tackle, to help guide you in choosing this essential housekeeping appliance.

How do I find the right vacuum cleaner?

Vacuum cleaners should be a comfortable fit both height and weight-wise, as you or one of your family members will be pushing it around your home fairly often. From a functional standpoint, ensure its suction power is appropriate to the flooring or carpeting in your home. Review all the accessories, and make sure it is equipped with the appropriate attachments — a smaller head to focus on cleaning stairs, or underneath your furniture — and customizable features for the level and depth of cleaning you desire. If you have carpeting and find that dirt goes deeper than what traditional vacuums can handle, you may want to invest in a steam cleaner or shampooer to keep your carpets clean and fresh.

What is the best vacuum cleaner for my floors?

• Upright vacuum cleaner: Upright models have a motor, bag, hose and beater included in a single unit. Equipped with adjustable settings for different flooring heights, they work best on carpet but can accommodate hardwood flooring as well. Wheeled cartridges make them easy to push and pull, but they don’t win any awards for maneuvering under and around cramped spaces, despite attachments. Some styles have the ability to self-propel through the room for a near effortless experience.

• Canister vacuum cleaner: Composed of a long hose connected to a canister containing a motor and bag, canister models are generally smaller and more portable than uprights. The lightweight hose and optional wand attachments make them ideal for hardwood floors, vertical surfaces, curtains and stairs. Be mindful not to tug on the hose to pull the canister along, as this will weaken and potentially break the hose.

• Broom/stick vacuum cleaner: The lightweight and slim design of stick models makes them great for hardwood floors, furniture, hard-to-reach spots and tight spaces. Similar to the style of an upright, this model has everything included in one unit, but does not have beaters or rollers, and uses an easy-to-empty bag-less design to catch debris.

• Handheld vacuum cleaner: For quick clean-ups on a smaller scale, a hand vacuum is ideal with it’s small, light and usually cordless design. Many have a wand attachment for tight areas, and use a cup instead of a bag for dirt. These portable, cordless vacuums are handy, but don’t forget to return it to it’s charging station between each use.

• Robotic vacuum cleaner: These self-powered, self-navigating and self-timing models often come with sensors that focus on dirtier spots for longer periods of time. They’re adjustable for different types of flooring and come with a bag-less system for easy emptying. One limitation, similar to handheld models, is that they only last for a set amount of time before they must be recharged, however can be perfect for picking up everyday dust and pet hair without lifting a finger.

• Central vacuum system: These systems require the motor to be installed permanently somewhere in the home. Then when it comes time to suck up the dust and grime, you simply connect the hose to one of several inlets placed throughout your home. The debris is then carried to the motor and bag through pipes in the walls. This system removes the hassle of carrying the motor and bag with you as you clean, and you can even sweep straight into the inlets if needed.

• Shop vacuum: As a more down and dirty model meant to clean up debris around a workshop, shop vacs are usually canister style with additional attachments. They’re perfect for cleaning up sawdust and getting dust out of tight crevices to keep tools in tip top shape, and are generally wet/dry rated to make them more durable in working environments.